King Saul
by madfantic
Summary: Its a little retelling I did of King Saul


King Saul

I orginally post this in my blog here: .

well here's a blast of the past from me. You see I had this idea to do a sort of retelling of king David. I always found it interesting especially how the story/history mirrors the later myths of king Arthur. But I eventually shelve this without even getting pass king Saul and I completely forgot about it until now. I'm not continuing this but I thought it be nice to publish what's left here. Enjoy.

1

Long ago

God's visions

Were rare

But one night,

Eli growing weak

Of sight

Was lying down,

The lamp of God

Hadn't gone out

In the temple

Where the Lord's Ark stood

Samuel was sleeping there

God cried out

"Samuel!"

He answered

Running to Eli

"Here am I,

You called me!"

"My son,"

Eli answered

"I didn't,

Go back to sleep."

This happened again

By the third time

Eli realized

That God was

Calling the boy

He instructed

"Go lie down,

And if he calls

Say speak Lord

Your servant is

Listening."

Samuel did as

He was told

God said

"See I am about

To do something

In Israel

That will make ears

Of everyone

Who hears it tremble.

I will carry out

Against Eli

Everything I spoke

Against his family,

From beginning to end.

I warned him that I

Would judge his

Family forever

Because of their sin.

He knew about

His sons making

Themselves contemptible

From my offering's

He failed to restrain

Them,

The guilt of

Eli's house

Will never be

Atoned."

After the Lords

Message

Samuel

Went to sleep.

At dawn

He opened the

Doors of

God's House.

Samuel was

Afraid to tell Eli

The vision,

Eli called him

"Samuel, my son

What was it

He said to you?

Don't hide any

Of it from me.

May God

Deal with you

Ever so severely

If you do."

Samuel told

The whole truth

Eli responded

"He is the lord

Let him do

What is good

In his eyes."

2

Now the Israelite's

Went out to fight

The philistines.

The enemy

Deployed their forces

To meet Israel.

The fight

Spread to Israel's

Loss.

On the battlefield

Four thousand died.

The soldiers

Returned to camp

Their elders asked

"Why did the

Lord bring defeat

Upon us?

Let's bring the

Ark so that it may

Save us from

The hand

Of our enemies."

The ark entered

The war camp,

All Israel rose

Such an uproar

The ground shook.

The philistines asked

"What's all this

Shouting in the

Hebrew camp?"

They learned

It was the ark,

Fear griped them

Saying

"A God has come

Into the camp.

Nothing like this

Has happened before.

Woe to us!

Who will deliver us

From God's hand?

Who struck

The Egyptians

With all kinds

Of plagues?

Be strong,

Be men

Or you will

Be slaves

To the Hebrews

As they have

Been to you,

Fight!"

The battle grew

To the Israelite's

Failure.

Every man fled

To his tent

The slaughter killed

Thirty thousand

Israel Foot soldiers and

The ark was captured.

3

A benjamite

Ran from the

Battle line.

His clothes torn,

Dust

Lay on his head.

Eli was sitting

On his chair

By the side

Of the road

Watching for

His heart

Feared for

The ark.

The man entered

Telling

The town

What happened.

Wails of sound

Entered Eli's ears

He asked

"What is the

Meaning of these

Tears?"

"I have just

Come from the

Battle. I fled

From it this very

Day.

The army suffered

Heavy losses.

Your two sons

Hophni and Phinehas

Are dead.

The ark is

Captured!"

At the mans

Last word Eli

Fell backward

Off his chair

The earth snapped

His neck

Killing him.

His pregnant daughter

In law

Nearing the time

Of delivery

Heard the news.

She went into labor

Giving birth

Her body overwhelmed

Brinked to near death

By labor pains

A woman attending

Said

"Don't despair

You've given

Birth to a son."

But she didn't respond

Or pay attention.

She named the boy

Icabod saying

"The glory has

Departed from Israel."

4

The Philistines

Moved the ark

To Ashdod.

Into a pagan

Temple beside

The god Dagon.

The next morning

Dagon was found

Fallen, his face

To the ground

Before the ark.

They put him

Back up

But it happened again.

The Lord's hand

Was heavy

Upon Ashdod

Bringing afflictions

Of tumors.

Dawning at what

Was occurring

The people said

"The ark

Must not

Stay here!"

They called

All the rulers of the

Philistines asking

Them

"What shall

We do with

The ark?"

"Have the ark moved

To Gath."

They answered.

So they did

But it only

Moved the Lords

Hand throwing

The city into

Panic.

They decided to

Move it again.

As the ark entered

Ekron the people

Cried out

"They have

Brought

The ark

To kill us."

They called

All the rulers again

Who said

"Send the ark

Back to Israel

Or it will

Kill us all.

When we return it

Let us

Send a guilt

Offering

That way we'll be

Healed.

Send five gold

Tumors and rats

According to the

Destruction of our county

And

Number of philistines

Rulers.

Get a new

Cart ready hitched with

Two cows calved

Who've never been

Yoked.

Put the ark

On the cart

In a chest beside it

Leave our guilt offering.

Send it on

Its way but

Keep watching it.

If it goes up

To its own territory

Then the lord

Has brought this

Disaster on us.

If it doesn't

Then we'll know it

Happened by chance."

5

People harvesting

Their wheat in the valley

Looked up beholding

The ark.

They rejoiced

At the sight

It stooped beside

A large rock

The people

Chopped wood from

The cart

To sacrifice the

Cows.

The Levites

Took the ark

With the chest

Placing them on

A rock.

The Philistine ruler's

Saw this before

Returning home.

In the field

God struck down

Some seventy men

For looking inside

The ark.

People mourned

The heavy blow

Asking

"Who can stand

In the presence

Of the Lord?"

They sent messengers

To Kiriath Jeraim

Saying

"Come take the

Ark to your place."

Men took it

Up to Abindab's

House on the hill

Consecrating Elazar

To guard it.

6

Twenty years latter

Israel's people

Seeking God

Came to Samuel

He said to them

"If you're returning

To the Lord

With all your heart

Rid yourselves

Of foreign gods.

Commit to the Lord

Serve him only

He will deliver you

Out of the hand

Of the philistines.

Assemble all

Israel at Mizpah

I will intercede

The lord for you."

Once there

They drew water

Poring it out

Before God

They fasted and

Confessed

"We have sinned

Against the Lord."

When the philistines

Heard of this

They came up

To attack.

Israel grew afraid

From learning of the

Coming battle.

They pleaded to

Samuel

"Don't stop crying

Out to God,

That he may rescue us

From the hand

Of the enemy."

Samuel took a

Suckling lamb

As a burnt offering

While sacrificing

The enemy drew

Near engaging

Israel in battle.

The Lord thundered

Loudly throwing

The philistines in such

A panic

They were routed

Before Israel.

The Israelite's

Pursued the enemy

Slaughtering them

Along the way

To a point below

Beth Cap.

After Israel's victory,

Samuel

Took a stone

Setting it between

Mizpah and Shen

Naming it Ebenezer

Proclaiming

"Thus far the

Lord helped us."

Samuel continued

As Judge over

All Israel for the

Rest of his life.

7

When Samuel grew

Old he appointed

His sons

As judges but

They didn't walk

In God's ways

By dishonesty,

Accepting bribes,

And perverting

Justice.

All the elders

Of Israel gathered

To meet Samuel

Saying

"Your sons

Don't walk

In your ways

Appoint a king

To lead us like

other nations."

These words displeased

Samuel.

He prayed to God

The Lord answered

"Listen to their

Every word.

It's not you

They reject but me as

Their king

Since the day

I brought them

Out of Egypt.

Warn them solemnly,

Let them know

What ruler

Will be over them."

Samuel said to the people.

"This is the kind

Of king

Who will reign,

He'll take your

Sons to serve his

Chariots,

Assigning Commanders

Over them,

Others will plow

His grounds

Still others will

Make his weapons.

Your daughters

Will be taken

To be perfumers,

Cooks, and bakers.

He'll take the best

Of your fields

And give them to

His attendants.

The best of

Your cattle, manservant's,

And maidservants he

Will take for his

Own use.

You will become

Slave's yourselves.

A day will come

When you'll cry out

For relief from the king

You have chosen

But the lord will not

Answer."

The people refused

To listen saying

"we want a

King!"

Samuel repeated this

To God the

Lord answered

"Give them a king."

Samuel went to the men

Ordering

"Everyone go home!"

The Lord revealed

This to Samuel

"At this time

Tomorrow I'll send

You a man

From the land of

Benjamin.

Appoint him leader."

8

There was an

Impressive young man

Named Saul.

He was without

Equal among men,

A head taller

Than any other.

Saul's father

Said to him

"Take one of the

Servants with you

To look for my

Lost donkeys."

Saul passed through

Hill country but

Didn't find them.

They reached Zuph

Where Saul said

"Come let us

Go back or my

Father will stop

Thinking about the

Donkeys

Only to start

Worrying about us."

The servant replied

"In this town there's

A man of God.

He's highly respected

Everything he says comes

True.

Let's go to him

Perhaps he'll know

Where they are."

"What can we give him?

We have no food

Or gifts."

"I have a

Quarter shekel of

Silver."

"Good lets go."

They were going

Up a hill

Entering town.

They met some

Girls coming out

To draw water

They asked them

"Is the seer here?"

"He is ahead of you,"

They answered

"Hurry now he's

Just come to our

Town today.

Soon,

As you enter town

You'll find him

Before he goes

Up to the

High place to eat.

Only those

Invited will eat

There.

They won't

Begin until

He comes because

He must bless the

Sacrifice."

Following the girls

Instructions

Samuel caught sight

Of Saul. the Lord

Said to him

"This is the

Man I spoke about."

Saul approached

Asking

"Would you please

Tell me where

The seer's house is?"

"I am the seer,"

Samuel said

"Go ahead of me

To the high place

For today you are

To eat with me.

In the morning

I'll let you go

Telling you all that

Is in your heart.

Don't worry about

The donkeys they

Have been found.

To whom is all

The desire of Israel

Turned if not to

You and your

Family."

Saul replied

"Am I not

A Benjamite,

From the smallest

Tribe of Israel,

Is not my clan

Least of all?

Why do you

Say such things

To me?"

Samuel brought

Saul and his servant

Into the hall

Seating them at

The head.

Samuel spoke to

The cook

"Bring the piece

Of meat I gave

You."

The cook took

Up the leg

Setting it in front

Of Saul.

Samuel said

To Saul

"Here is what

Has been kept

For you on

This occasion

From the time

I invited guests,

Eat."

Afterwards,

Samuel talked

With Saul on

The rooftop of

His house.

Samuel called Saul

"Get ready,

I will send you

On your way."

Samuel went outside.

Saul came with his

Servant

They walked

Down to the

Edge of town.

Samuel said

"Tell the servant to

Go on ahead of us.

You stay with me

Awhile so that

I may give you

A message from the

Lord."

The servant left,

Samuel took a flask

Of oil pouring it

On Saul's head

And kissed him

Saying

"Has not the Lord

Anointed you

Leader over his

Inheritance?

When you leave

Me today,

You'll meet two

Men near Rachel's

Tomb.

They'll say to you

The donkeys are found

Your father now worrying

About you asking

What shall I do

About my son?

You'll go on from

There reaching the

Great tree of Tabar.

Three men going

Up to God at

Bathel will meet you

There.

One carrying

Three young goats,

Another three loaves

Of bread,

And a skin of wine

From the other.

They'll greet you

Offering you two

Loaves of which

You'll accept

After that go to

Gibeah,

As you approach

You'll meet a

Procession of prophets

Coming down from

The high place

playing with lyres,

Tambourines, flutes,

And harps

and they will be prophesying.

The spirit of the Lord

Will come upon

You in power

Prophesying with them

You will be changed

Into a different person.

Once these signs

Are fulfilled

do whatever your hand

Finds to do,

God is with you.

Go, I will

Surely come down

To you, sacrificing

Burnt offerings.

You must wait

Seven days until

I come to you

At Gigal,

Say what you are

To do."

After Saul proved

He understood what

Was said

He turned to leave

God changed Saul's

Heart.

As these signs

Were fulfilled that day.

9

Saul's Uncle saw

His nephew returning home

He asked him

"Where have you been?"

"Searching for the donkeys,"

He replied

"But when we

Couldn't find them

We went to

Samuel."

"Tell me what

He said."

"He assured us

The donkeys have

Been found."

Saul didn't talk

About his kingship.

Samuel summoned

The people of

Israel.

Saying to them

"This is what

God said. I

Delivered you out

Of all the kingdoms

That oppressed you

Now you have

Rejected your God

Present yourselves

Before the lord

By your tribes."

Samuel's order

Was followed

The tribe of Benjamin

Was chosen.

Within the clans Matri's

Was chosen.

Saul was chosen

But when they

Looked for him

He was gone

They inquired of the

Lord

"Has the man

Come here yet?"

The lord answered

"Yes, he's hidden

Himself among

The baggage."

They brought him

Out,

As he stood among

The people

Samuel spoke

"Do you see the man

God has chosen?"

The people shouted

"Long live the king!"

Samuel dismissed everyone

To their homes.

10

Saul accompanied by

Valiant men was

Heading home.

Some troublemakers nearby

Said

"How can this fellow

Save us?"

Despising him they

Brought him no gifts

Saul kept this silent.

A battle grew fierce

In Jabesh Gilead

The Nahash managed

To besiege them.

Jabesh men spoke to the

Enemy

"Make a treaty

With us,

We'll be your

Subjects."

"I will make a

Treaty only on

The condition

That I gouge out

The right eye of

Everyone of your

People so all

Israel will be in

Disgrace."

They replied

"Give us seven days

So we can send

Messengers throughout

Israel if no one

Comes to our rescue,

We'll surrender."

They allowed this.

Messengers came to

Gibeah reporting the

Terms.

The people wept

Aloud just as

Saul was returning from

The fields.

He asked

"What's wrong?"

Saul heard the news

The spirit of God

Came upon him in

Power burning with

Anger.

He took a pair of

Oxen cut them into

Pieces sending them

By messengers

Throughout Israel

Proclaiming

"This is what will

Be done to anyone

Who doesn't follow

Saul and Samuel."

Terror of the lord

Fell on the people

Turning out as

One man.

Saul mustered them

At Bezek.

They told messengers

"Say to the men

Of Jabesh Gilead

By the time the

Sun is hot you

Will be free."

When the men of

Jabesh heard this

There were elated.

They said to

The enemy

"Tomorrow

We'll surrender

To you,

Doing to us

Whatever seems

Good to you."

Saul separated his

Men into three

Divisions during

The last watch of

Night they broke

Into camp slaughtering

The Nahesh

Ending at the heat of day.

Those who survived

Were scattered so

Not two of them

Were left together.

The people went

To Samuel asking

"Who was it that

Asked shall Saul

Reign over us?

Bring them here

We will put them

To death."

Saul who was nearby

Responded

"No one shall be

Put to death today,

For the Lord has

Rescued Israel."

Samuel spoke

"Come let us go

To Gigal

Reaffirming the kingship."

They did this

In the presence

Of God

There they sacrificed

Fellowship offerings,

All the Israelite's held

A great celebration.

11

Samuel spoke to

All Israel

"I have listened

To everything you

Said to me

Setting a king

As leader over you

As for me,

I am old

And gray,

My sons are here

With you.

I have been your

Leader from my

Youth to this day.

Here I stand,

Testify against me

In the presence of

The lord and his

Anointed.

Whose ox

I have taken?

Who have I

Cheated?

Have I oppressed

Anyone?

From whose hands

Have I accepted

A bribe to make

Me shut my eyes?

If I have done

Any of these,

I will make it right."

"You have not."

They replied

"The Lord is witness

Against you and

His anointed is witness

This day,

That you have not

Found anything."

"He is witness."

"Stand here,

I am going to

Confront you with

Evidence before God

As to all righteous

Acts performed by

The Lord for you

And your fathers.

After Jacob entered

Egypt they cried

To the Lord for

Help,

God sent Mosses

And Aaron

Who brought your

Forefather's freedom

Settling in this place.

But they forgot the

Lord so he sold

Them into the hand

Of Sisera,

Commander of the

Army of Hazor,

The Philistines,

And the king

Of Moab

Who fought against

Them.

They cried out to

God

We have sinned!

Serving baals

And ash toreths

Now deliver us

From the hands of

Our enemies we

Will serve you.

Then the Lord sent

Jerub-baal, barak,

And jepthah

I delivered you

From the hands of

Your enemies on

Every side so you

Lived securely

When you saw Nahash

King of the

Ammonites moving against you

You said to me

Now we want

A king to rule

Over us even though

God was your king

Now here is the king

You have chosen.

If you fear

The Lord serve

And obey him

Do not rebel

Against his commands

If both you and

The king follows

God good!

But if you don't

The Lords hand will

Be against you

As it was with

Your fathers.

See this great thing

God is about

To do before

Your eyes!

Is it not the

Wheat harvest?

I will call upon

The Lord to send

Thundering rain.

You'll realize what

An evil thing you did

In the eyes of God."

That same day,

The Lord sent thunder

And rain so all

The people stood in

Awe of God and

Samuel.

"Pray to God for

Your servants Samuel,

so that

We will not die,

For we have added

To all our other sins."

"Don't be afraid

You've done all

This evil,

Yet do not turn

Away from God

Serve the lord

With all your heart

Don't chase after

Useless idols

They can do you

No good,

Nor can they rescue

You.

For the sake

Of his great name

Will not reject

His people,

Because the Lord

Was pleased to

Make you his own.

As for me,

Far be it that

I should sin against God

By failing to pray

For you.

I will teach you

The way that is

Good but be sure

To fear the Lord,

Serve him faithfully

With all you heart

Consider the great

Things he's done

For you.

Yet if you persist

Doing evil both

You and your king

Will be swept away."

12

Saul order the

Trumpet blown

Throughout the land

Proclaiming

"Let the Hebrews hear!"

So all Israel heard

The news to be

Summoned to join

The king.

The philistines

Assembled to fight

At Micmash.

Their troops stood

As numerous as the

Sand on the seashore.

The men of Israel

Saw this in fear

Most hid in

Caves, thickets,

Rocks, pits, and

Cisterns.

Some even dared

To cross the Jordan

To the land of Gad.

Saul remained with

Whoever was left

They were quaking

With fear.

Samuel set a time

To meet Saul but

By seven days he

Didn't come.

More of Saul's men

Began to scatter.

The king spoke

"Bring me the burnt

Offering."

Just as he finished

Giving the sacrifice

Samuel arrived

Saul went out to greet him.

"What have you done?"

Asked Samuel.

Saul answered

"When I saw the

Men scattering and you

Weren't coming.

I thought

The philistines will

Come down against me

I have not sought

The Lords favor,

I felt compelled

To give the offering."

"You acted foolishly,"

Samuel said

"By not keeping

The command the

Lord gave you,

If you had, he

Would have established

Your kingdom over

Israel for all time.

Now your kingdom

Will not endure the

Lord has sought a

Man after his own heart

Appointing him leader

Of his people because

You have not."

Samuel left.

Saul counted his men

Numbering about

Six hundred.

Saul was staying

On the outskirts

Of Gibeah

Under a pomegranate

Tree among them was

Ahijah the Lords priest

wearing an ephod.

13

Not one blacksmith

Could be found

In all of Israel

Because the enemy

Said

"The Hebrew's will make

Swords and spears

If we don't hinder

Them."

All Israel had

To go down to

The land of the

Philistines to have

Their plowshares,

Mattocks, axes, and sickles

Sharpened.

On the day of

Battle not a soldier

Had a sword or spear.

Only Saul and

His son Jonathon

Had them.

One day, Jonathon

Said to his armor bearer

"Come let's go to

The philistine outpost."

He didn't tell his

Father about this

So no one was aware

Jonathon left.

He intended crossing

The cliff to reach

The philistine outpost.

Jonathon spoke to

His young armor

Bearer.

"Come let's go to

Those uncircumcised

Fellows.

Perhaps the Lord will

Act in our behalf.

Nothing can hinder

God no matter how

Many men he faces."

"Do all that you

Have in mind,"

His armor bearer said

"Go ahead, I am

With your heart

And soul."

"Come then,

We'll cross toward

The men,

Let them see us.

If they say wait

There until

We come to you

We'll stay where

We are but

If they say come up to us

We will climb

That's our sign

The Lord has given

Them into our hands."

All went as planned

"Look'" said a philistine

"The Hebrew's are crawling

Out of the holes

They were hiding in."

The men of the

Outpost shouted

"Come up to us,

We'll teach you a

Lesson."

Jonathon said to

His armor bearer

"God has given them

Into our hands."

The Philistines

Fell before Jonathon

And his armor bearer.

In that first attack

The two killed twenty men

In an area about

Half an acre.

The ground shook

For the Lord sent

Panic into the enemy.

Saul's lookouts

Saw the army

Melting away in

All directions.

Saul said to his men

"Muster the forces,

See who has left us."

They discovered

Jonathon and his

Armor bearer

Missing.

Saul spoke to

Ahijah

"Bring the ark of

God."

As Saul was talking,

Tumult in the

Philistine camp

Increased.

Saul ordered

The priest

"Withdraw your hand."

Saul and his men

Marched to battle.

They found the philistines

In total confusion

Striking each other.

When all the

Israelite's that had

Hidden heard the

Philistines were on

The run

They joined the

Battle in hot pursuit.

God rescued Israel

That day as

The battle moved

To Beth Aven.

14

The entire army

Moved into the woods.

Men of Israel were

In distress for Saul

Had bound them under an oath

"Cursed be any man

Who eats food

Before I have

Avenged my enemies!"

Jonathon who hadn't

Heard his father's vow

Discovered honey

Oozing out, on the ground.

So he

Reached out with

The end of his staff

Dipped it in a honeycomb.

Jonathon ate and

His eyes brightened.

One of the soldiers

Told Jonathon

What happened.

He replied

"My father has made

Trouble for the country.

Look at my

Brightened eyes

From tasting only

A little of this honey.

How much better

It would have been

If all the men

Eaten today

From the plunder

They took

Against their enemies.

The battle would

Have been greater?"

The next day,

Israelite's in exhaustion

Struck down

The philistines.

Pouncing on more

Plunder

Taking sheep, cattle,

And calves.

Butchering them

To eat with blood

On the earth.

Someone said to Saul

"Look, the men

Are sinning

Against the Lord

Eating bloody meat."

"You have broken faith,"

Saul said.

"Roll a large stone

Over here at once.

Go among the men

Tell them each of you

Bring me your cattle

To slaughter them properly.

Don't sin against God."

It was done,

Saul built an altar

To God for

The first time

There.

King Saul spoke

"Let us go down

After the enemy

By night leaving none alive."

"Do whatever seems best

To you."

They replied but the

Priest said

"Let's inquire God."

Saul asked the Lord

"Shall I go down

After the philistines?"

God didn't answer

"Come here,"

Saul commanded

"All who are leaders

Of the army let us find

What sin has been

Committed today.

Surely as the Lord

Who rescues Israel lives,

Even if it lies with

My son he must die."

Not one of the men

Said a word.

Saul continued

"you stand over there.

I and my son Jonathon

Will stand over here."

Saul prayed to the Lord

"Give me the right answer."

Through lots the men

Were cleared

It then passed to

Saul and his son.

Jonathon was taken.

Saul asked

Tell me, what have

You done?"

Jonathon answered

"I merely tasted a little

Honey, Now I must die?"

Saul said

"May God deal with me

Be it ever so severely

If you don't die, Jonathon."

But the men said

"Should Jonathon Die?

He who brought this

Great deliverance?

Never! As surely

As God lives, not a hair

Of his head will fall.

For what he did today

Was with God's help."

With that he was not put

To death.

Saul stopped pursuing the

Philistines, withdrawing to

Their own land.

15

Samuel spoke to Saul

"I'm the one the Lord

Sent to anoint you king;

So listen now to

God's message.

I will punish the

Amalekites for what they

Did to Israel, by

Waylaying them

Coming up from Egypt.

Go attack,

Totally destroy everything

That belongs to them.

Don't spare them,

Put to death men,

Woman, children,

Even infants."

Saul summoned the

Mustered men at Telaim.

Two hundred thousand

Foot soldiers and ten thousand

Men from Judah.

They went to the city

Of Amelek in the ravine

An Ambush was set.

He warned the Kenites

"Go away, leave so

That I don't destroy

You along with them

For you showed kindness

To all Israel

When we came

Out of Egypt."

The Keneties fled.

Saul attacked the

Amalekites all the way

From Havilah to Shur.

He took their King Agag

Alive, all his people

He totally destroyed

With sword

But Saul and his army

Spared the best of the

Sheep, cattle, fat calves,

And lambs.

These they were

Unwilling to destroy

But everything that

Was weakly despised,

Totally ravaged.

Word of the Lord

Came to Samuel

"I'm grieved that I

Have made Saul king.

He has turned away

From me by not

Carrying out my instructions."

Troubled Samuel cried out

To God all that night.

Early in the morn,

Samuel got up

Traveling to meet Saul.

When he got there

He was told

"Saul has gone to Carmel.

He's set a monument there

In his own honor

And has turned

To go down Gigal."

Samuel reached him.

"The Lord bless you!"

Saul exclaimed

"I have carried out

The Lords instructions."

Samuel asked

"What is this bleating

Of sheep in my ears

And this lowing of cattle?"

Saul answered

"Soldiers brought them

From the Amalekites,

Sparing them to sacrifice

For the lord but we

Totally destroyed the rest."

"Stop!" Samuel said

"Let me tell you what

God has spoken to me

Last night.

Although you were

Once small in your own eyes,

Did you not

Become head of the

Tribes of Israel

You were sent on a mission

To obliterate those wicked

Amelkites.

Why didn't you obey the Lord?

Pouncing on plunder

Doing evil in the

Eyes of God."

"But I did obey,"

Saul pronounced

"I went on the mission.

I completely destroyed them

And brought back Agag,

The best plunder was

Devoted to God."

Samuel replied

"Does the Lord delight

In burnt offerings as much

As obeying the voice of God?

To obey is better

Then sacrifices.

Rebellion is like the

Sin of divination, arrogance,

And idolatry.

Because you have

Rejected the Lord

He has rejected you as king."

Saul pleaded

"I have sinned.

I violated Gods command.

I was afraid of the people

So I gave in to them.

I beg you, forgive my sin

Come back with me

Where I may worship the Lord."

"I will not go

Back with you."

Samuel said

"You've rejected

The word of the Lord."

Samuel turned to leave,

Saul gripped the hem

Of his robe it tore apart.

Samuel spoke

"The Lord has torn

The kingdom of Israel

From you today.

He's given it to one

Of you neighbors

Better than you.

He who is the glory

Of Israel

Does not lie or

Change his mind

For he is not a man

That should change his

Mind."

Saul said

"I have sinned,

Please honor me

Before the elders

Of my people before

Israel;

Come back with me

So I may worship God."

Samuel went back with

Saul who worshiped before

The Lord.

Samuel demanded

"Bring me Agag."

He entered confidently thinking

Surely the bitterness

Of death is past.

Samuel said

"As your sword has

Made woman childless

Among woman

So will your mother be."

With these words

Samuel strikes him down.


End file.
